The head of the Rockland County Department of Health is stepping down later this month. Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert has served as Commissioner of Health for the last ten years, the last few years marked by three unprecedented events, the COVID-19 pandemic, the measles resurgence and the return of polio. Rockland County Executive Ed Day called her work extraordinary and thanked her for her tireless dedication to the county. A search committee has been formed to find her replacement, and to name an Interim Commissioner while the search process takes place.
Breaking News
Reports: Judge Upholds Clarkstown’s Term Limits Law
A state Supreme Court judge has declared Clarkstown’s term limits law is legal. Published reports say Clarkstown supervisor George Hoehmann may now be prevented from running for another two-year term as supervisor later this year. Councilman Don Franchino brought the suit along with Hoehmann, but is not affected by the limit and can run again this year. Clarkstown’s term limit law passed the town board unanimously eight years ago. At the time, Hoehmann suported the law and voted for it.
Report: Felony Charges in Fatal Spring Valley Fire Case Against Former Village Building Inspector Dismissed
Three felony charges against a former Spring Valley building inspector connected to the fatal fire at an adult care facility in Spring Valley have been dismissed. That’s according to News 12. They report Raymond Canario still faces misdemeanor charges, he’s due back in court for those tomorrow. He was accused of filing false information to the state about inspections done at Evergreen Court Home. The fire there two years ago killed a resident and Spring Valley firefighter Jared Lloyd. Charges against former Spring Valley building inspector and Public Works Director Wayne Ballard were dismissed last month. Two rabbis, father and son Nathaniel and Aaron Sommer, still face felony charges for starting the fire while cleaning the facility for Passover.
Snow is Coming, but Not That Much Expected in Rockland
Snow is on its way, but Rockland could be spared more than many surrounding regions, particularly a little further upstate. Orange & Rockland Utilities is ready with their emergency response workforce to repair potential damage and restore any power outages that could result from today’s snowstorm. O&R spokesman Mike Donovan says a heavy, wet snowstorm like this could pose a significant threat to electric service because of the increased risk of heavy trees, tree limbs and overhead electric lines, so company and contractor overhead line crews and tree removal experts, are standing by…
At a press conference yesterday, Governor Kathy Hochul warned upstate areas, including the Mid-Hudson, the Capital, Central New York, the Mohawk Valley and North Country Regions could see up to two feet of snow, with higher elevations possibly getting three feet. Hochul said if you were scheduled to be in those areas, you’re better off not venturing out…
For us here in Rockland, the rest of the day could bring 1-3 inches of heavy, wet snow with winds gusting up to 40mph.
Spring Valley Man Killed After Forklift Incident in West Haverstraw
A Spring Valley man was killed at KJ Tile in West Haverstraw Thursday morning after he backed up the forklift he was driving into shelving that was holding pallets of tile. Haverstraw Police say 52 year-old Carlos Ramirez-Hernandez was found unresponsive on the floor surrounded by broken boxes of tile. He was pronounced dead on scene by paramedics. The incident is under investigation by Haverstraw Detectives, Rockland County Sheriff’s Department, the Haverstraw Building Department, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.